MOVIE SYNOPSIS
A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noel)
Abel and Junon had two children, Joseph and Elizabeth. Victim of a rare genetic condition, Joseph's only hope was a bone marrow transplant. As they and Elizabeth were incompatible, his parents conceived a third child in the hope of saving their son. But, little Henri too was unable to help his brother, and Joseph died at the age of seven. The Vuillard family has never recovered. Many years have passed, and family relationships are more strained than ever - In particular, those between Elizabeth, authoritarian head of the family and Henri, a cynical drop out who divides his time between women and drink. After a violent argument, Elizabeth banishes her feckless brother, cutting him off from his nephew, her son Paul - a tortured adolescent beset by serious mental problems.
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In many ways, Arnaud Desplechin's A Christmas Tale is linked thematically to and offers the same sometimes discomfiting pleasures as Jonathan Demme's Rachel Getting Married. Both films center on a large, fractious family gathered in a comfy house for one of life's big rituals. Both feature a depressive grown daughter, a wild, wonderful soundtrack, and filial dynamics that strain and stretch the boundaries of civility.
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MPAA rating:
Unrated
Cast:
Catherine Deneuve; David Frenkel; Anne Consigny; Mathieu Amalric; Jean-Paul Roussillon; Laurent Capelluto; Hippolyte Girardot; Emmanuelle Devos; Françoise Bertin; Emile Berling
Directed by:
Arnaud Desplechin
Genre:
Drama Running time:
02:30
Release date:
2008
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